China may still be big on SUVs, but that doesn’t mean that variety isn’t welcome. We’ll have to commend Leapmotor for doing something different with the B05 (badged in China as a Lafa5), which made an appearance at the recent Auto Guangzhou show soon after its local launch, rekindling the sporty C-segment hatchback that used to be everywhere.
The two-box, five-door body style would’ve looked humdrum not too long ago, but it sure seems fresh now. Measuring 4,430 mm long, 1,880 mm wide and 1,520 mm tall, it’s on the larger side in the class, being around 150 mm longer than the Volkswagen Golf but 130 mm shorter than the Honda Civic Hatchback. Its 2,735 mm wheelbase, on the other hand, is longer than both, shading the Civic by just a millimetre.
Of course, the main difference is that the B05 is fully electric, with a single motor at the rear potentially providing a sportier driving experience, akin to the original BMW 1 Series. Three variants are offered, with the base model producing 179 PS (132 kW) and 175 Nm, getting the car from zero to 100 km/h in 8.7 seconds on its way to a top speed of 160 km/h. A 56.2 kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) provides a range of 515 km on China’s very lenient CLTC cycle.
All other variants are boosted to 218 PS (160 kW) and 240 Nm, slashing the century sprint time to 6.4 seconds and increasing the top speed slightly to 170 km/h while retaining the same battery and range. Range-topping models receive a 67.1 kWh LFP battery that is said to enable the B05 to travel up to 605 km on a single charge.
Leapmotor hasn’t provided a power figure for DC fast charging, but the batteries are the same as on the B10 crossover, so expect the same 140 kW for the smaller unit and 168 kW for the long range one; they charge from 30 to 80% in 18 and 19 minutes respectively. As for AC charging, that likely goes up to 11 kW (again, as per the B10), with the same charging process taking 4.2 hours with the 56.2 kWh battery and 5.6 hours with the 67.1 kWh battery.
Compared to its insipid-looking crossover siblings, the B05’s design is rather sleek, helped by the low nose with its wraparound black mask that incorporates the LED headlights, as well as the aggressive triple air intake design.
The surprisingly muscular bonnet and fenders lead the eye towards the subtly-blown rear haunches and the full-width taillight bar, sitting above a gloss black diffuser-like rear valance that houses the number plate recess. Unique to the B05 are frameless windows, giving it a more premium look compared to the B10. All models come with 19-inch black multi-spoke alloy wheels.
We get our first look at the interior of the B05 at the show, and it appears to be nigh-on identical to the B10. There’s still a plain horizontal dashboard design, silvery rectangular air vents and a tall and wide centre console, although the B10’s lozenge-shaped holes on the passenger side look to have been filled up. The two-spoke flat-bottomed steering wheel is also carried over.
Just like the B10, you get an 8.8-inch instrument display and a 14.6-inch floating infotainment touchscreen running on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8155 processor (a more powerful 8295 chip is optional). There’s also DeepSeek generative AI support (at least in China), up to 12 speakers and a 50-watt Qi wireless charger.
Elsewhere, you’ll find powered, heated and ventilated seats that can fold flat for occupants to lounge around and bask at the 1.05 m2 panoramic glass roof, along with available Nappa leather and mibrofibre upholstery. As is typical for a Chinese car, the 256-colour ambient lighting system has a “rhythmic” feature that pulses to the music being played.
Safety-wise, the B05 comes with six airbags on all but the base model (which makes do with four airbags) and a bunch of driver assists that include Level 2 semi-autonomous driving functionality. Top-spec cars gain a lidar sensor on the roof, providing highly-automated highway and city driving – the latter coming later through an over-the-air software update.
Promotional launch pricing for the B05 in China starts from just 92,800 yuan (RM52,200) for the base Plus model, rising up to 116,800 yuan (RM68,300) for the long range Max. Notably Leapmotor is sweetening the deal with a lifetime battery and motor warranty (only applicable to the first owner) for a limited time.
Could the B05 make its way to Malaysia? It’s possible, given that the B10 is currently open for booking and will be CKD locally assembled from launch next year, providing opportunities for economies of scale. However, the B05 will very much be a niche product in our SUV-crazed market.
